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Aged 70 and still a child: complexities, strains and gains of older children caring for their (near) centenarian mothers
- Authors:
- MACEDO Typhanie, SOUSA Liliana, RIBEIRO Oscar
- Journal article citation:
- Age and Ageing, 51(1), 2022, p.afab204.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background: Longer lives increase the possibility of caring duties, which means that older adults looking after their ageing parents - as well as their own partners - is becoming an increasingly common scenario in developed countries. Objective: To explore the caregiving demands of very old caregiving dyads and the experience of maintaining the identity of a child at such an advanced age. Design: Qualitative study. Subjects: 15 participants (four males), all aged 70 or over and caring for their mothers, aged between 95 and 105 years old. Methods: Semi-structured interviews analysed thematically. Results: Caregivers are willing to care for their mothers 'until death tears them apart', despite the double strains they face, that is more self-limitations and added care receiver need. On a positive side, they feel 'happy, thankful and proud' for still having their mothers alive. They also describe that maintaining the identity of a child at such an advanced age was somewhat unthought of and unexpected but an important source of pride. Conclusions: These findings suggest that these oldest-old caregiving dyads are characterised by a relationship shaped by strong feelings of extended filial love, constituting a family feature that needs further understanding. Findings also underscore the challenges these carers face in dealing with several agents (secondary caregivers) and entities in the care provision. (Edited publisher abstract)
Building on personal networks when intervening with multi-problem poor families
- Author:
- SOUSA Liliana
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work Practice, 19(2), July 2005, pp.163-179.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
With the aim of analyzing the strengths which exist in the personal social networks of members of multi-problem poor families, a sample of 100 members of these families was surveyed, using a structured interview. The main results of this exploratory Portuguese study suggest that: strong family ties constitute a resource to be taken into account; friends and neighbours are a resource that needs to be activated; the members of these families need to develop more reciprocal relationships within their personal network; emotional support is an open door towards the activation of other forms of support; it is necessary to give special attention to two sub-groups (women and the elderly).